The Case Against Outsourced SEO
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Internet Business -> subcategory Web Hosting.
The Downside of Outsourcing SEO
Overview
A week ago, my college buddy Paul called seeking SEO services for his upcoming online business. The conversation went like this:
Paul: We want to hire your company for SEO. We can handle any price.
Me: Can you tell me more about your company and what you want to achieve with SEO?
Paul: We want to rank
1 in Google for everything in our industry, and I trust you can make it happen.
Me: While I'd be happy to guide your team on SEO principles, I think it's better for you to handle the work internally.
Paul was puzzled. Why wouldn't we take the job? It's not about him; it's about understanding what it takes to consistently rank high in searches. The best companies I've worked with integrate SEO into every decision, from management to marketing. Hiring a consultant or learning SEO yourself makes sense, but outsourcing the entire effort doesn't.
The Problem with Outsourcing SEO
Many companies outsource SEO, expecting the outside firm to manage it all and deliver results. They treat SEO as a separate entity rather than a core value integral to their organization. This disconnect is why outsourcing often fails: the company continues to make decisions without considering their SEO impact.
Organizations should be asking key questions like: How does a programming change affect our search rankings? Can we integrate link-building into our marketing? These considerations are often ignored if SEO is outsourced, leading to missed opportunities.
Paul needed clarity, so let's break down essential components for successful SEO and how they should be handled:
Keyword Research
This involves identifying how often relevant phrases are searched. Tools like the SEO-Book tool or Wordtracker are useful. Keyword research influences site structure, title tags, and industry opportunities. Ideally, this should be done by a consultant or an internal SEO leader, preferably in upper management.
On-Site Optimization and Site Structure
This is what most envision when thinking of SEO. It's about optimizing your site so search engines can crawl, understand, and rank it effectively. Changes include updating Title/META tags, cleaning HTML, adding sitemaps, and more. Programmers should conduct these changes to integrate them into their workflow. A consultant can advise, but success depends on programmer involvement.
Link Building
Link building, another key SEO task, requires incoming links from relevant sites with proper anchor text. Outsourced firms might use outdated techniques, like link exchanges, ineffective and potentially harmful now. Effective link building through press releases, content syndication, blogging, and more requires substantial input from you. It should mesh with your marketing strategy. Marketing departments should handle this, with consultants offering strategic assistance.
Analytics
This involves tracking and measuring your site's SEO and marketing campaigns. While this was once a task for outsourcing, tools like Google Analytics now make it manageable internally. A well-configured account provides insights into sales sources. Programmers or consultants can set it up, focusing on metrics that matter most. Tracking incoming links and search engine rankings, though not included in Analytics, can be easily done with tools like Marketleap Link Checker and Digital Point Keyword Tracker.
Conclusion
Whether you choose a consultant or pursue SEO internally, it must align with your organization's goals for success. This integration is often missing in outsourced solutions.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: The Case Against Outsourced SEO.
You can browse and read all the articles for free. If you want to use them and get PLR and MRR rights, you need to buy the pack. Learn more about this pack of over 100 000 MRR and PLR articles.